By: Spencer W. Kimball
Chastity is of great value. Chastity and virtue are “most dear and precious above all things” (Moroni 9:9), more valuable than rubies or diamonds, than herds and flocks, than gold and silver, or than automobiles and land. But, sadly, in many cases they are on sale at the cheapest shops and at the cheapest prices. (79-20)
Even mortal life itself, when placed upon the balance scales, weighs less [than chastity]. (60-04)
All unchastity will one day be disclosed. There comes a time when the fornicator, like the murderer, wishes he could hide-hide from all the world, from all the ghosts, and especially his own, but there is no place to hide. There are dark corners and hidden spots and closed cars in which the transgression can be committed, but to totally conceal it is impossible. There is no night so dark, no room so tightly locked, no canyon so closed in, no desert so totally uninhabited that one can find a place to hide from his sins, from himself, or from the Lord. Eventually, one must face the great Maker. (76-46)/
Unchastity is moral filthiness. It is not the soil of earth or the grease on a person’s hands that defile him; nor is it the fingernails “edged in black,” the accumulated perspiration from honest toil, or the body odor resulting from heavy work. One may bathe hourly, perfume oneself often, have hair shampooed frequently, have fingernails manicured daily, and be a master at soft-spoken utterances, and still be as filthy as hell’s cesspools. What defiles is sin, and especially sexual sin. …
To a young man seeking help who had allowed himself to indulge heavily in fornication but was not quite repentant, I wrote:
“Your sin is the most serious thing you could have done in your youth this side of murder. … Your last experience in immorality was far more obnoxious than the first. You had been to the temple and had made solemn vows of chastity before God and holy angels. You made covenant that you would never have such ungodly relations. You had already done it and then did it again with that solemn promise on your lips.” (MF 62)
Some fail to understand the gravity of unchastity. I hope their values will not be mixed and distorted like the man who stole the coal but would not drink a cup of coffee, or like the young girl recently who was pregnant, but so distorted was her view that her emphasis was on temple marriage at all costs and no thought of preparation for it. She would not marry the father of her unborn child because temple marriage was not available to her at this time. Fornication was of lesser moment to her but she had definitely settled on her temple marriage. The spirit giveth life-the word killeth. (66-07)
Seriousness of Sexual Sin
By: Spencer W. Kimball
Chastity is of great value. Chastity and virtue are “most dear and precious above all things” (Moroni 9:9), more valuable than rubies or diamonds, than herds and flocks, than gold and silver, or than automobiles and land. But, sadly, in many cases they are on sale at the cheapest shops and at the cheapest prices. (79-20)
Even mortal life itself, when placed upon the balance scales, weighs less [than chastity]. (60-04)
All unchastity will one day be disclosed. There comes a time when the fornicator, like the murderer, wishes he could hide-hide from all the world, from all the ghosts, and especially his own, but there is no place to hide. There are dark corners and hidden spots and closed cars in which the transgression can be committed, but to totally conceal it is impossible. There is no night so dark, no room so tightly locked, no canyon so closed in, no desert so totally uninhabited that one can find a place to hide from his sins, from himself, or from the Lord. Eventually, one must face the great Maker. (76-46)/
Unchastity is moral filthiness. It is not the soil of earth or the grease on a person’s hands that defile him; nor is it the fingernails “edged in black,” the accumulated perspiration from honest toil, or the body odor resulting from heavy work. One may bathe hourly, perfume oneself often, have hair shampooed frequently, have fingernails manicured daily, and be a master at soft-spoken utterances, and still be as filthy as hell’s cesspools. What defiles is sin, and especially sexual sin. …
To a young man seeking help who had allowed himself to indulge heavily in fornication but was not quite repentant, I wrote:
“Your sin is the most serious thing you could have done in your youth this side of murder. … Your last experience in immorality was far more obnoxious than the first. You had been to the temple and had made solemn vows of chastity before God and holy angels. You made covenant that you would never have such ungodly relations. You had already done it and then did it again with that solemn promise on your lips.” (MF 62)
Some fail to understand the gravity of unchastity. I hope their values will not be mixed and distorted like the man who stole the coal but would not drink a cup of coffee, or like the young girl recently who was pregnant, but so distorted was her view that her emphasis was on temple marriage at all costs and no thought of preparation for it. She would not marry the father of her unborn child because temple marriage was not available to her at this time. Fornication was of lesser moment to her but she had definitely settled on her temple marriage. The spirit giveth life-the word killeth. (66-07)